1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to accessories for musical instruments, specifically to drums and associated mutes for muffling unwanted overtones.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
It is recognized by those skilled in the art of recording and percussion performance that drums can create an undesirable overtone and ringing effect when hit. Drummers commonly attempt to muffle the ringing effect and let the desired musical tone sound through. An effective means for muffling is to simply lay an object on the drum head next to the counterhoop.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,158 to Saputo teaches a drum resonance eliminator. The reference teaches in col. 3, starting with line 44, that a support member 36 carries a resilient pad which is inserted over the rod 44 and that a set screw 48 is tightened to secure the support member 30 at the desired position over the drum head 32. This construction of the reference results in a more or less permanent muffling and damping of the drum which is kind of difficult to change during operation of the drum or during the short-term intervals during a concert. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,158 to Saputo, the components of the device have threaded rod screws and wing-nuts that tend to strip from use and loosen during play resulting in a variation of pressure on the drumhead. Being affixed to the counter hoop, when disengaged, is undesirable when brushes are used rather than drumsticks during play.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,807 to Robinson teaches a muting and muffling of drums. The reference uses a mute body 11 having a pair of attaching flanges 12 and 14 and these flanges are attached to the drum 21. Again in this situation, it would be difficult to make any changes to the level of muting and muffling which occurs during a concert. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,807 to Robinson is limited to the weight of the leather pieces sewn together, requiring several mutes of various weight for adjustability. Furthermore, the leather piece being affixed to the counterhoop of the drum with "velcro-like" material, requires the entire diameter of the counterhoop to support the material for flexibility in placement.
The U.S. Pat. 4,244,266 to Hardy teaches a drumhead deadening device. The deadening devices 12 and 14 are attached to the membrane of the drum. This construction results in the situation, where it is again difficult to change the intensity or the level of the muting and deadening during a performance.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,281 to Hardy teaches a drumhead ring reducer. A body of porous pliable material, such as polyester, is disposed within the drum shell and reacts with the drum membrane. An adhesive layer is disposed on the body for attaching the body to the drum shell. In view of the adhesive attachment taught in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,281, it is again not possible during a performance to change the level of reducing the drumhead ring.
Both the U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,266 and the U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,281 to Hardy disclose the adhesion of foam to the drumhead. Be it inside or outside the drumhead, a full circle of muffling suppresses the desirable musical tones in addition to the undesirable ringing effect. Also, since the foam is affixed with adhesive, it is not easily engaged and disengaged, or reused.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,280 to Hardy teaches a device for deadening drum heads. The device 15 including bodies 16, 18 and 20 is disposed on the attack head 12 to minimize the ringing of the attack head. Furthermore, a device 21 including bodies 22, 24, and 26 is disposed on the resonating head 14 to minimize ringing of the resonating head. This reference again teaches a permanent system of muting where it is impossible to change the muting level during a performance.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,635 to Santangelo teaches a drum mute. The drum mute of the reference has a thin flexible resilient sheet which can be adhered to the drumhead. The undersurface of the sheet includes an adhesive to adhere to the drumhead and an area of felt. Again, this reference teaches to use an adhesive to adhere to the drumheads and, consequently, the structures taught in the Santangelo reference are unsuitable for modification during operation and during performance. Also, a layer of tack adhesive picks up dirt particles, further weakening the temporary bond.
Thus, all mutes heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
Engaging or disengaging the mute which is affixed to the drumhead through use of threaded rods, screws, wing-nuts, and especially adhesive can be complicated and time-consuming, requiring the use of both hands. This scenario is undesirable for the drummer in a concert setting and also results in inconsist placement and pressure of the mute while on the drumhead; PA1 Once disengaged, drummers are faced with the problem of how to discard the mute in a concert setting. Often they are thrown on the floor, where their adhesives collect dirt or rug fibers or damage occurs when they are stepped on.